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Post by broomebuck on Mar 13, 2009 7:07:33 GMT -5
wondering how crossbows have affected bow hunting in those states that allow it. some are pretty upset saying that crossbows will ruin bow hunting putting crossbow in gun hunters hands flooding the woods.me personally i don't consider my self just a bow or gun hunter i just love to hunt. thanks :Rocco
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Post by edge on Mar 13, 2009 8:32:24 GMT -5
That was the same argument stick bow hunters had against compound bows. PETA loves to divide us, but we seem to love to divide us too  edge. |
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Post by sw on Mar 13, 2009 8:43:44 GMT -5
Rocco, This is a good question. As is often the case, it sounds like the "bowhunters" in your neck of the woods, hold opinions as facts without investigation. Take Arkansas for instance, where I live only shotgun/MLer for 2 week-ends and a 3-day Christmas season; so, if Sundays are left out, only 3-4 days of "gun" hunting for deer a year exist here. Yet, we have a 5 month bow/crossbow season. We have a disproportionatlely high percentage of bow/x-bow hunting going on here. Even so, only a small percentage of deer here are killed in non-gun season. More deer are killed with bow than crossbow, at least in the past few years. I haven't checked in a couple of years though. The percentage isn't terribly far apart though. Most x-bow hunters are older and many, like me, have physical problems that can reduce the effectiveness of bow hunting. I still bear hunt with a recurve(and successfully  . No, the woods aren't covered up with x-bows. Since many gun season openers are tied to the peak-of-the-rut, many gun hunters just don't know how different non-rut hunting is; and when they find out, a number loose interest. I use a x-bow mostly now. This comes from a true bow hunter who hunted exclusively with a recurve mostly and a compound some from 1957-1999 for everything: rabbits, squirrels, turkeys,deer , and bear: even thru gun season. The problem with many bow "hunters" is the "exclusivity" mentality, that is you don't hunt with a bow, you aren't really hunting. This has no valid place in the hunting world, IMHO. These people need to grow up and get their self-esteem from something/somewhere meaningful. That's about all I have to say  . |
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Post by sw on Mar 13, 2009 8:45:33 GMT -5
That was the same argument stick bow hunters had against compound bows. PETA loves to divide us, but we seem to love to divide us too edge. Edge, You are a man of few, but very meaningful words. I remember the arguments well and didn't respect them then either. |
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Post by broomebuck on Mar 14, 2009 6:44:22 GMT -5
well if it ever is legalized i would get one to use along with my bow and my 85 year old gramps wants one to hunt with if the season is early he doesnt deal with the cold well but if he could get out two or three time a year he would be happy
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Post by Dave W on Mar 14, 2009 11:24:58 GMT -5
well if it ever is legalized i would get one to use along with my bow and my 85 year old gramps wants one to hunt with if the season is early he doesnt deal with the cold well but if he could get out two or three time a year he would be happy That would be great for you and your grandfather. Ohio allows xbows, has for many years, I cannot think of a time in the last 15-20 years that I have ran into another hunter in the woods during archery season. If the woods were covered with people, their camo is pretty darn good.  I see vehicles parked along the road in archery season but they could just as easily be small game hunting and it is no where near the same amount of hunters as you see in gun season. Xbows would hopefully get some more people out there but I don't think the woods will be overrun with hunters. |
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Post by wilmsmeyer on Mar 15, 2009 6:23:31 GMT -5
One of the major problems IMO is that the amount of hunters are decreasing. In ways...selfish ways....it's nice to feel that I might not have to contend so much with others. However, in the big picture, our sport of hunting seems to be dying out a slow death.
Kids are not as involved anymore, land is slowly being populated, people post land more and the few public areas get pounded to death. All the above is discouraging.
To the point then.....all implements are only that...implements. Use a spear if you want or make a pitfall. As Edge said so well, don't divide everyone into little catagories....other people are already doing a great job at that.
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Post by dougedwards on Mar 15, 2009 8:24:12 GMT -5
Remember that the crossbow is actually a more primitive weapon than a vertical bow. Over the years we have just dressed both up a bit to where neither hardly resemble their primitive predecessors. But what is wrong with that? I had actually preferred hunting with a compound until I had surgery on my shoulder. But once I shot my Excaibur crossbow I fell in love. The downside, is that a second shot is much harder and takes longer if needed with a crossbow in comparison to a compound.
Doug
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Post by redclub on Mar 16, 2009 16:23:28 GMT -5
Here in Wi. I use a x-bow(old an disabled) I really cannot use a compound any more, wish I could as I would be in CO. for elk season. The largest percentage of new hunters in Wi. are young girls and archery hunters over age 65. I believe that is because of being able to use a X-Bow. I believe putting a scope on a x-bow is what makes it superior to a compound.
Redclub
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Post by northny on Mar 16, 2009 21:05:32 GMT -5
It really doesn't matter what we think, if they think it will help increase the deer kill, the NYS DEC will eventually approve it. Sorry to be cynical, but it will be like the early muzzle loader season in NY's northern zone. First there was a late MZ season, then they added an early MZ season (does only) during the last week of bow season, then the early MZ season was changed to buck or doe (and if you have a bow license, bucks AND does as you can fill you bow tag by using your MZ).
Personally, I have no problem with crossbows. Compared to the recurve with cedar shafts and a finger release that I started bowhunting with, the current compound bows with overdraws, carbon arrows, sights and mechanical releases are so advanced that the crossbow will not add a substatially additional advantage. Knowing the state need for new revenue, we can likely look forward to a separate cross bow license fee!
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Post by wilmsmeyer on Mar 17, 2009 5:18:58 GMT -5
I have never shot a crossbow so I can not say that the high tech compound I use is as similar as you say. As for power, accuracy and lethality, there is probably no difference. Effective range with an effective scope reticle...
The HUGE advantage I see with a crossbow is the ability to hold it like a gun, safety off and waiting for the right angle. No worries about having a deer see a hunter draw...no worries about a deer that is "locked up" one step from your lane...and other situational scenarios that become nightmarish with a compound at full draw. The last deer I shot, in 2007, with my bow, required 3 draws. 2 required let-offs after 30 seconds or so. The 3rd draw was at 15 yds and it was a good thing he wasn't aware of me. After the shot, my body shook for 2-3 minutes.
Crossbow? wait...wait....wait...Ok shoot. Done.
By no means an arguement for or against its' use. But the difference I just pointed out is huge IMO. Increased effectiveness due to the pre-drawn shaft.
As for people taking all kinds of silly shots with it....they do it with bows too.
Also, while practicing in my back yard several years ago, I just about knocked my teeth out, and knocked myself out, when my release came off the string at the peak pull weight. Glad it didn't happen in a tree.....safety belt or no safety belt. Not sure of the ways a crossbow can get unsprung while cocking or recocking.
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Post by broomebuck on Mar 17, 2009 6:39:14 GMT -5
part of me wants the woods to my self with the bow and a the other part would love to sit in a blind with my 85 year old gramps watching him get one more deer
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Post by northny on Mar 17, 2009 10:16:28 GMT -5
Wilmsmeyer: You are correct of course, that not having to draw or hold in the presence of the deer is a distinct advantage. I have convinced myself that I am invisible to deer - so this is not a problem for me. Deciding when to draw or holding at full draw and having to "undraw" after hold at full draw for a while are things I have tended to forget about since I now seem to do them without thinking, but you are correct the crossbow will make it easier. Still, I have no objection to crossbows although I have no plans for using one. |
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Post by sw on Mar 17, 2009 20:42:09 GMT -5
Wilms, I think you always make good points. Absolutely, the x-bow is easier. I can shoot 85# compounds and 60+# recurves; that said, my compound is #57 and recurve is #48. I held for 91 secs on a 161 5/8 " w/t while it looked at me, it took off, I aimed, and was able to measure the antlers after the waiting period( :)and before, of course). Shooting near your limit does no good IMO. 8grs/lb shoots the same speed whether out of a 57# or 85# bow. 91 secs is a long time, but my x-bow has held for 10 hrs before.
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. No, the woods aren't covered up with x-bows. Since many gun season openers are tied to the peak-of-the-rut, many gun hunters just don't know how different non-rut hunting is; and when they find out, a number loose interest. 
.
I see vehicles parked along the road in archery season but they could just as easily be small game hunting and it is no where near the same amount of hunters as you see in gun season.
